Media reports indicate that legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ Disease, has been detected in both the Coast Guard base and Corps of Engineers water systems. As of yet, no cases of illness have been reported. Officials are currently sanitizing the water system and cautioning employees not to drink the water. Galveston has been the site of a earlier Legionnaires’ Disease scare when, in December of 2008, legionella was detected in the University of Texas Medical Branch’s water system.

UPDATE: As of February 13th, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers district headquarters has been declared free of legionella bacteria. The entire water system was flushed with a chlorine solution for 48 hours, destroying any remaining bacteria.

Media reports indicate a person has died as a result of Legionnaires’ Disease. The person was a resident at a Painted Post nursing facility in Steuben County, New York. This was a single isolated incident of Legionnaires’ Disease; no others appear to be ill. Investigations of the source of the disease continue. Officials now believe the disease may have been contracted outside the care facility.

According to Greek officials, a third infant has died due to the presence of Legionella bacteria in a maternity ward at a private clinic in the capital city of Cypriot. A fourth remains in critical condition at a state run hospital. In total, 11 infants have fallen ill.

Jules Zacher has represented seven couples in litigation against a hotel in Daytona Beach FL. He is currently representing the widows of two persons who died from Legionnaire’s disease who had stayed at the same hotel. One of the persons who died stayed at the same hotel after the hotel owners allegedly remediated the hotel for the presence of the legionella bacteria.

Cyprus, the site of a recent Legionnaire’s disease outbreak, is the only country in the European Union that is not a member of the European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI). EWGLI, which stands for European Working Group for Legionella Infections, was created in 1986 by epidemiologists and microbiologists to improve the knowledge already acquired about Legionnaires’ disease. Cyprus is also not a signatory to the European Guidelines for travel associated Legionnaire’s disease (EWGLINET). EWGLINET is a surveillance network for all of Europe which collects information on outbreaks of the disease associated with travel. EWGLINET established a set of procedures in 2002 to control and prevent Legionnaire’s disease associate with travel for all of Europe. The European Union adopted these guidelines in 2003. EWGLINET also provides an early warning system to everyone who is a part of the system as well as public officials. A main objective of EWGLINET is to detect common source outbreaks early on and to allow member-states to start preventive action on a timely basis. It has a dedicated website which provides significant information for a potential traveler about any travel associated outbreaks.

Six infants were released from a hospital on Cyprus after being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. The water used in the humidifier in the neonatal unit is suspected as the source of the infestation because it tested positive for elevated levels of the legionella bacterium.